Who exactly is this kinda player then? You have to take risks. It's the draft for God's sake. Draft only "zero risk" physically ready guys every year and I bet you won't be a winning organization anyomore. You have to compare the risk and the reward. A guy like Tarasenko actually has huge potential even though there are some risks. Don't tell me you would really draft McIlrath over him as well?

This is starting to make me feel sick.

What are you seriously on about? No one mentioning drafting "zero risk tough guys." We're just talking about getting some bigger bodies in our team.

This was the quote I was speaking of: "You'd like to bring in a Brad May or an Aaron Downey-type player, but if it's not there, it's not there," Holland said. "If we can't fit it in, we would go without it. It's just impossible to address every single need in a cap world."

To me that sounds like he's giving up on the enforcer thing for now.

No it doesn't. He's saying he'll get one if he has the cap room for one.

The article is the equivalent of -- "we think an enforcer would be cool in a sense of filling every possible role, but it's expendable in the cap world and not entirely necessary", which is basically what we've seen in the last, oh, decade or more? I think I just s*** in someone's cereal though by pointing that out.

I think you bolded the wrong part of his quote. He mentioned ideally he would like to grab an enforcer, but he also alluded to the slim pickings on the market, especially for the particular molding Holland would be looking for.

If he's looking for an Aaron Downey or Brad May type, then the market is anything BUT slim pickings.

I was just thinking what you meant with that. I mean, Babcock probably affects every moves Holland makes concerning the big club. I just don't think Babcock affected Brad May signing any more than the Hudler signing for example.

I just got the image that you were saying Babcock is somehow more pro-enforcer and more after tougher players. I feel Babcock is one of the few coaches in the league who prefers skill over toughness in many situations considering they way he wants his team to play.

He did! He said himself he was pushing for Holland to sign May for years!

And again, he is! His Anahiem teams were always tough, he's always openly praised his tough guys and enforcers in general...I dont know what else to say...

Why do you think that exactly? Was getting Hudler for example more Holland's doing then?

What are you on about with that?

Anyway, Babcock has always been pressing for a tough guy. He said he was pushing for Holland to sign Brad May five years ago and has always openly praised enforcers and his need for wanting someone to "keep the flies off" whilst Holland has always made these wiggle-room remarks.

Red Wings GM Ken Holland gave the Detroit News's Chris McCosky a roster update, and in doing so, he revealed that his one personnel goal during free agency involves adding someone who can drop the gloves when necessary:

"You'd like to bring in a Brad May or an Aaron Downey-type player, but if it's not there, it's not there," Holland said. "If we can't fit it in, we would go without it. It's just impossible to address every single need in a cap world."

If the Wings can't find a fourth-liner with bite, however, Holland suggests that the Wings have enough toughness to get the job done without a dedicated enforcer:

"We have some size on the back end, as well," Holland said. "We'd like an enforcer type, yes, but it has to be the right fit. We'll watch what moves are made over the next couple of months and see what shakes out."